Senator John Hoeven, R-N.D., said Friday he would re-double his effort to reform the way the State Department considers energy infrastructure projects like the Keystone pipeline, after State finally rejected that project after seven years.
“It was a political decision,” Hoeven told the Washington Examiner when asked about Secretary John Kerry’s statement today that climate change was a “critical factor” in its decision-making process. “There’s the proof.”
Hoeven has introduced legislation he sponsored with Democratic colleague Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., that would change how the process works for transnational pipeline approval in the future. The proposal “would eliminate the presidential permit requirement for projects crossing the national boundary between the United States and Canada or Mexico.”
It also imposes “a 120-day time limit on the U.S. State Department to either issue a certificate of crossing or deny a project,” and devolves power back to the states, focusing the National Environmental Policy Act process “to the federal section of the pipeline — the portion that crosses the border.”
Hoeven said the upcoming Paris climate talks in December were also a factor in the administration’s decision to take a strong stance on Keystone before those talks.
“We pretty much knew this was coming,” Hoeven said.
Hoeven said he would continue to try to pass Keystone this term, which would require overriding an Obama veto, but was skeptical of his chances.
“I mean, I’ve got 63 votes, I’ll continue to whip for four more … but we need a Republican president,” he said.
Hoeven was clearly very frustrated with Friday’s decision. While fuel prices are low today, killing the pipeline was a short-sighted energy policy, he said.
“We don’t want to have to depend on OPEC,” Hoeven said.
Hoeven also noted newly-minted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s disappointment with the U.S. Keystone decision.
“We are disappointed by the decision but respect the right of the United States to make the decision. The Canada-U.S. relationship is much bigger than any one project,” Trudeau said today. “I look forward to a fresh start with President Obama to strengthen our remarkable ties in a spirit of friendship and cooperation.”
